A person was injured and two residents displaced after a fire early Sunday morning that left a home on Aurora’s near West Side uninhabitable, according to the Aurora Fire Department.
On Sunday at around 2:14 a.m., the fire department responded to a reported structure fire in the 600 block of West Downer Place, the department said in a news release. The incident was initially dispatched as a box alarm, but was upgraded to a second alarm based on the conditions found upon arrival, officials said.
Arriving crews reported heavy smoke and fire conditions on the rear side of a three-story, single-family wood-frame residence, the release said. Fire companies began an interior attack of the fire, while additional crews conducted a primary search and established backup lines, according to officials.
Crews ultimately worked for several hours to fully extinguish the fire and conduct extensive overhaul operations as a result of the cold temperatures, strong winds and the size and complexity of the building, the department said. The department also said that the residence was “heavily congested with contents, which made navigation and fire control challenging,” according to the release.
Four engine companies, three truck companies, three medic units and two chief officers — a total of 29 personnel — responded to the scene, the release said.
One person sustained minor injuries and was transported for medical evaluation, the release said, and one firefighter was evaluated at the scene.
The residence was deemed uninhabitable due to fire damage, and two adult residents were displaced and are temporarily staying with a neighbor, officials said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the department, according to the release.
